Headgear for an unweddingy dress?

Hi, ESB. 

Because you have impeccable taste, I thought I'd ask... 

I'm wearing this for our wedding (thanks to Net-a-Porter's unbelievable sale). I'll accessorize with nude or snake print heels, my great grandmother's heavy gold wedding bracelet, and delicate gold earrings and necklace, gifts from my partner. Since nothing about this getup says "bride" I'd like to wear something on my head. But what?

I have longish, dark, wavy hair and plan to wear it half up. I don't think a veil would work, though I do love fingertip veils with wide lace at the end. I generally despise those giant, poufy hat-like things all the rage since the royal wedding, most blusher or birdcage veils, and the boho flower crown look.

Ideas? I appreciate your help.

*****

Skip the headgear.

Take a tip from the all-time award-winning green-Gucci-wearing bride and just ROCK THAT DRESS.

(also: send photos. obvs.)

Help me put a ring on it

Hey, ESB. 

I'm getting married next September and am having the ever-popular accessory dilemma. I'm wearing this dress, a David's Bridal original (hey, I embrace my inner cheap and trashy bride. Plus, it has pockets), and I'm replacing the plastic bling with a brooch of my mom's.

My mom died just as I started puberty, and I've had thirteen years to get used to this life without her. Wedding planning turns everything I've gotten used to on its head, and the day will be bittersweet in her absence. My future mother-in-law wants to do something special to recognize my mom's life--I've already vetoed an empty chair and a song in her honor--so I'm choosing to do so with my accessories (my mom had amazingly awesome accessories). 

I realllly want to wear her wedding ring, but I'll be wearing my engagement ring on my right hand and my wedding band on the left that day; my mom's ring only fits on my ring fingers, as I inherited her hands (and her laugh and the way she signed the "N" in our last name). The obvious answer is to wear the ring on a chain as a necklace, but I'm open to and hoping for suggestions. So, lay it on me, pretty please. 

Thanks!

P.S. If you have any ideas about some sort of hair something that's not a veil, I'd love to hear them, too. 

*****

Wearing your mom's ring on a chain around your neck makes the whole thing too much about her and her wedding ring when it should be about you and your wedding ring.

Either MAKE IT YOUR WEDDING RING (why wouldn't you? it fits!) or tie a blue ribbon around it and carry it in your pocket.

As for "some sort of hair something that's not a veil" -- YOU GUYS MAKE ME TIRED. You know that, right? I love you, but you make me so tired.

Le Bridal Cap

Would you all give me an opinion on the new "bridal cap" trend?

(I didn't know that's what they were called, but that's what Twigs & Honey is calling them, so I'm gonna go with it.)

I mean. Myra makes the thing look as pretty as it could possibly look....... But I can't help thinking........

CANCER PATIENT?

did I say I was "over" veils?

whoopsy.

(photos by lillian and leonard)

Fine. Fuck the veil.

Dear ESB,

Fine. Okay. I sent a super long "I have the dress now please make all of my other decisions for me" type email (with a million attachments), which, in hindsight, may have been ill-advised.

I do actually have my own opinions... I think I'm just kind of sick of all of the choices to be made and frankly just want to get back to my career and get on with our marriage.... and I just want someone else to figure it all out for me. I imagine you get a lot of that.

I can deal with the flats. This is not rocket science.

I can deal with the veil. I should have known you couldn't care less. Except for wearing my mom's lace, I couldn't care less either.

I think I can even deal with the jewelry situation. Etsy. Done.

All I want to know, is what to wear over my shoulders that is not fur, but is kind of 1940's glam meets rock and roll. Or not. Just awesome. Can I ask for that?

I just want awesome. Awesome under $200.

My dress is a very simple Nicole Miller. I want to take it up a notch for the reception.

That is all.

*****

Call me crazy, but I think this florette bomber (ON SALE for $99 at the Quail Shop) would be pretty awesome with your dress.

I'm feeling the grey with your antique white satin, but the photo of the red jacket is so good I had to post it, too.

Top image: Tilda Swinton photographed by Tim Walker + styled by Jacob Kjeldgaard for W Magazine via I'm Revolting via Maia McDonald via Sugar & Fluff

STOP ASKING ME ABOUT VEILS

I have no idea what kind of veil you should wear.

Snooooooooooooozeville.

I do know I'm liking this whole messy braid/updo with flowers situation.

Image 1: SAGA SIG for Topshop
Images 2-4: Daniel Gurton for Vs. Magazine July 2011 via Fashion Gone Rogue via Jessica Goldfond

pretty pretty headpieces

Made from vintage millinery flowers by Alexandra Grecco.

It's been a while since I was this excited about anything, bridal headgear-wise.

Terrific photography/styling certainly doesn't hurt. Also: BANGS.*

______________________________

*Just when I'd finally gotten over my regrets about growing out my bangs for the wedding.

for the bride who loves LOL cats not wisely, but too much

Maison Michel Heidi Cat Ears

I know I say this all the time, so I may be crying wolf here, but WILL SOMEONE PLEASE GET MARRIED IN THESE?

Dropped into my inbox -- title and all -- by the ever-watchful Stephanie.*

(I think she knew I needed a little something to tide you people over while I sleep in tomorrow. It was a long hard weekend script suping.)

______________________________

*The very same who spotted the fancy wedding jeans.

What sort of veil goes with a VERA WANG?

Dear ESB,

Here it is - I'm quite nervous showing it to you! I think of it as my modern Henry James number. I'd love if your readers could help me with veil ideas - the asymmetrical bustline (I needed a little weird in my dress) is sort of throwing me off. I potentially do want a veil that covers my face, as I am shy and am scared about walking down the aisle. I think a little cocoon will help soothe my nerves. I think that the veil should match the color of the dress, but I'm open. My seamstress can make a veil, so long as I provide fabric and photos, or I can go elsewhere. The color is slightly more saturated than the runway photos, and my hair is black so the effect isn't so monochromatic, though I am as pale as it gets. Here's a link to another lady wearing it.

Eek- so excited to see what everyone comes up with! I'm designing my invitations this week, and we just booked our honeymoon- April in Paris. We're getting married at the Metropolitan Building, which is a venue I can best describe as falling down the rabbit hole.

*****

I can't believe I'm saying this. But.






I'm feeling a birdcage. A wisp of a thing, like this one by Twigs & Honey. (I bet you can find tulle in blush pink for your seamstress.)

A long veil, I fear, would diminish the impact of the dress.

Ladies? Thoughts? She actually didn't ask for my opinion.

Dear ESB: What do I wear around my neck?

Hey,

I am less than a month away from Le Wedding, and I'm so stuck when it comes to what to wear around my neck. I need to decide within the next couple of days, so things can be posted in time.

My dress is this one here, but I'm shooting for big hair, a big hair bow and a big veil. None of this fierce and sleek for me.

I found this necklace and thought it would work so very well with our accidental bell theme (ask people to rsvp 'with bells on', and they'll expect the darn things everywhere). But I have some concerns:

i) will it look weird if not photographed dead front on or from a distance? (and does this even matter?);
ii) will people spend the whole night trying to work out exactly what the coloured blobs around my neck are? (the piece is probably five inches across all up)
iii) too casual to go with the dress?

This is the fallback.

Too boring?

Argh! Help!

*****

Option 1 is way too cutesy. I can't imagine anyone wearing that.

Option 2 is just ugly.

If you're going for big hair, a big bow AND a big veil, I say skip the necklace.

(Photo by David Slijper for Elle UK via a glamorous little side project)

since we all agree that the birdcage is over...

I'm kinda digging the Ava veil by Lo Boheme.*

Via Once Wed

______________________________ 

*Could be slammin with this vintage dress. Thanks Suzana!

bridal hair emergency

morning esb!

so, here's the thing.

I've got a friend who's gettin hitched this august, and just got her hair cut last week.

and the hairdresser cut it short.

she already had shorter hair, but this was much shorter than she was expecting.

she looks absolutely fabulous in this new cut by the way, but she was planning on doing a longer hair style for her wedding, and now she's kinda freaking out.

so I am trying to find photos of brides who are totally rocking short hair styles (ear length or so). maybe with some kick-ass flowers or birdcage veils or headpieces or such, to give her some ideas and show her all is not lost.

but running through my google reader I have managed to find...two.

they were both from your site.*

and you also rock a slammin short haircut, from what I can recall.**

mayhaps you have a few more images squirrelled away somewhere you could send my way?

my friend (and her future husband) will thank you!

*****

I have in fact been known to squirrel things away. But this is a tough one.

So I searched through real wedding photos all over the blogs. Like you said, short-haired brides are few and far between, and I guess I'm just picky. The ones I found were too flapper-y, too little-girl-y (I am not a fan of straight-up BOWS) or too...meh.***

I was pretty much stumped until Garance Doré's shot of Elisa (above) popped up in my blog reader yesterday.

Don't laugh... But what if your friend tied a little white scarf or a scrap of veil around her head? Could be very 2010-meets-1985. But please don't, like, tie the thing in an enormous bow, okay?

Alternatively, she could cut her hair even shorter and go uber simple and chic like Nico (below) or Jean Seberg.

   
*I believe you are referring to Joy and Kyli.

**No, not really. No. But how could you possibly know that? I've deleted all the evidence.

***With the exception of this photo of Lauren. Nothing meh about it.